The recycling programs used by employees of Freeborn County can be an example for everyone – and they show that there are financial as well as environmental motives for recycling.

Tuesday, August 28, 2001

The recycling programs used by employees of Freeborn County can be an example for everyone – and they show that there are financial as well as environmental motives for recycling.

The county was recently recognized for programs that have greatly increased the amount of recycling it produces while cutting garbage output. Because processing recycling is cheaper than paying for garbage pickup, the program has saved the county money.

All the county needed to do was make a simple change in the way employees think about garbage. Instead of placing garbage cans by every desk, they stuck a recycling bin at every work station. It’s now immediately easier for everyone to drop spent papers into the recycling.

Buying recycled products has saved the county money, too. Seeking out recycled products, the county has shown, can save money, too.

It’s an example that other businesses and individuals would do well to follow. Every business could stand to save a little money, and watching the garbage bill and cutting materials costs are two ways it can be done.

More importantly, doing a few simple things can keep a little more material out of a landfill.

The county deserves praise for its programs, but the best form of praise is imitation.